Review of Kalayla

beauri21 · Post by **beauri21** » 06 Dec 2021, 15:10

[Following is a volunteer review of "Kalayla" by Jeannie Nicholas.]

3 out of 4 stars

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Kalayla by Jeannie Nicholas is a book that deals with many relatable family issues such as: honesty, love, sexuality, race, abuse, conflict and forgiveness. The story unfolds from the perspective of three woman of distinct generations. It is set between the late 1999 and early 2000 periods. The book elicits all sorts of emotions from the reader, a heart-warming read indeed. The book gives a glimpse into the lives of the three woman who have diverse family backgrounds, as they reflect on the past while building their future; acknowledging and accepting the mistakes made in the past, correcting these errors while fixing themselves as well.

Firstly, Kalayla the smart eleven years old child with what appears to be a foul mouth is introduced. Later on comes Maureen who is about thirty years of age, she is Kalayla's mother. Lastly, there is Lena, the seventy-two years old landlady of the apartment where Kalayla and her mother live. Lena started to have a soft spot for Kalayla, and was given to helping her be better. She feels Kalayla brings back fond memories of her deceased sons. Lena learns of the family secret which Maureen had been keeping away from Kalayla. Whether this secret would be let out, and how it would affect Kalayla if so, are questions answered in this book as the story progresses.

There are a number of positive aspects I see in this book. One of which is the manner in which the characters evolve through the story. For instance, Lena grew from being just the woman next door to become a very intricate part of Kalayla’s and her mother’s lives. Again, the book is packed with so many life lessons. I find this quite informative, it sure puts the reader in a better position to address family issues as may be encountered in real life. This book is excellently edited, there are barely any errors in it.

On the other hand, I find the choice of words in this book quite unsatisfactory. There is high level use of strong words. It would have been nice of the author to notify readers ahead to avoid the shock of bumping into such words. In addition, sensitive scenes of sexual violence and racism are highlighted in the book without warnings as well. Again, although the book makes an easy read the issues discussed in it were not very simplified. This could make it a bit difficult for younger readers to fully comprehend the lessons contained in the book. Also, the characters appeared somewhat confusing at some point. For instance, Maureen who is shown as a caring mother is often engrossed in her work, while her eleven years old daughter is left to walk about unsupervised.

I rate this book 3 out of 4. I did not give a lower rating because despite the downsides I pointed out, I generally find the book interesting and filled with pertinent lessons which are invaluable in the society today.

This book is recommended to anyone interested in family drama, people of biracial backgrounds, and everyone who seeks to have a better understanding of family dispute resolution.

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Kalayla
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Paluk Pathania · Post by **Paluk Pathania** » 09 Dec 2021, 09:40

I also reviewed this book a while ago and I agree with all the points you have mentioned above. I particularly admired Kalayla's character. Great job with the review, thanks!^^

beauri21 · Post by **beauri21** » 12 Dec 2021, 01:48

Paluk Pathania wrote: ↑09 Dec 2021, 09:40 I also reviewed this book a while ago and I agree with all the points you have mentioned above. I particularly admired Kalayla's character. Great job with the review, thanks!^^

Thank you.

Jodeci 007 · Post by **Jodeci 007** » 08 Jan 2022, 02:58

I completely related with how this story explored family even beyond blood ties and am glad to see that you enjoyed it too. Nice review.

katerina_12 · Post by **katerina_12** » 09 Jan 2022, 10:38

I love this book very much and I must mention that I also liked the simple and easy language of the author. Thanks for the detailed and awesome review!

beauri21 · Post by **beauri21** » 10 Jan 2022, 06:23

katerina_12 wrote: ↑09 Jan 2022, 10:38 I love this book very much and I must mention that I also liked the simple and easy language of the author. Thanks for the detailed and awesome review!

Thank you for appreciating my review.

beauri21 · Post by **beauri21** » 10 Jan 2022, 06:24

katerina_12 wrote: ↑09 Jan 2022, 10:38 I love this book very much and I must mention that I also liked the simple and easy language of the author. Thanks for the detailed and awesome review!

Very nice of you to check out my review. Thanks.

Hana_Fabro · Post by **Hana_Fabro** » 12 Jan 2022, 01:31

Out of all three main characters, I personally like Kalayla because she has a unique trait that will make you live her. Thanks for the wonderful review.

Hyacinth Bella · Post by **Hyacinth Bella** » 12 Jan 2022, 04:13

I also read this book before and I enjoyed it so much. I do quite find it surprising when it comes to the choice of words of the author, but nonetheless, it didn't give me any downside feelings. Thank you so much for your splendid review!

Oyedele Tomijane · Post by **Oyedele Tomijane** » 12 Jan 2022, 06:29

I do agree that Kalayla's choice of words really could be quite shocking at times. Thank you so much for the lovely review.

Post by **Vivian Stones** » 12 Jan 2022, 08:48

I had a good read with this book,characters were well developed. Has so much value to give for you'd time. Amazing review.

Post by **kandscreeley** » 12 Jan 2022, 09:05

It sounds like this deals with important topics, but I don't think it's a book for me. Perhaps the author would do well to issue a warning at the beginning about some of the content. Thanks.

Shridhar Suryawanshi · Post by **Shridhar Suryawanshi** » 13 Jan 2022, 08:18

I recently read this book. I agree that the book is filled with crucial life lessons. Thanks for the review.

Sou Hi · Post by **Sou Hi** » 16 Jan 2022, 20:35

Thanks for your interesting review. Personally, I don't find Kalayla's speech too much of a shock. It's actually predictable that a little girl in her shoes would behave like that, especially when the story happens in the 1990s and 2000s.

Amynwankwo_ · Post by **Amynwankwo_** » 27 Jan 2022, 22:32

I read this book sometime ago and really loved it. I agree with everything you have written and I also loved how the 3 characters evolved to become better versions of themselves through their friendship and bond.